| **Quarterly Financial Data Quarterly Financial Data (Tables)** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]**                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block] | QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)  First Second Third Fourth (in millions, except per share amounts)Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter          Fiscal Year 2013:        Net sales$1,338 $1,403 $1,338 $1,422 Gross profit961 1,021 953 992 Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc. (a)223(b)115(c)262(d)123(e)Basic net earnings per share$0.78 $0.41 $0.91 $0.42 Diluted net earnings per share$0.78 $0.40 $0.90 $0.42 Cash dividends declared per share$0.25 $0.25 $0.25 $0.25          Fiscal Year 2012:        Net sales$1,395 $1,410 $1,326 $1,372 Gross profit1,014 1,027 971 953 Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc. (f)212(g)244 176(h)120(i)Basic net earnings per share$0.67 $0.78 $0.56 $0.39 Diluted net earnings per share$0.67 $0.78 $0.56 $0.39 Cash dividends declared per share$0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23  |

| X                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_QuarterlyFinancialDataAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the quarterly financial data in the annual financial statements. The disclosure includes financial information for each fiscal quarter for the current and previous year, including revenues, gross profit, income (loss) before extraordinary items and cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle and earnings per share data.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)-(j) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25249566&loc=d3e1280-108306
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfQuarterlyFinancialInformationTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |